Dreams
by AngelicAura
Summary: Whenever waking from her terror filled nightmares about Jo Gage Alex has only one need to chase away the vivid images and fear: her partner, Robert Goren.


**Dreams**

Her shoulders were aching. A deep, pulsing throb of pain every second that burned white-hot every time she moved. Her vision was blurred but her hearing was perfect. Better than perfect; enhanced, picking up every decibel and frequency humanly possible. Maybe her body was adapting, her ears compensating for her diminished vision. And the smell; it was almost overwhelmingly powerful. She could practically taste the coppery blood as the metallic tinged odor seemed to be stuffed into her very nostrils threatening to smother all air out of her body. She heard the agonized screams and whimpering cease suddenly. The silence pressing in on her wrapped around her chest, heavy and vice-like as though a boa constrictor was crushing her to make it easier to swallow her whole. The black cloth serving as a blindfold finally dislodged from the duct tape left on her cheek falling down to her neck so her vision cleared completely.

Her hazel eyes scanned the room back and forth rapidly. Suddenly the vinyl shower curtain separating the large area she was hung and restrained in from the smaller attached alcove was ripped aside violently and a blonde woman covered in blood spatter stepped toward her. Jo Gage had the most evil smile she had ever seen. As her abductor approached her she slowly passed the machete-like butcher knife still covered in pieces of its last victim's blood and tissue from hand to hand. The few small unstained spots on the blade of the weapon reflected flashes of light as it moved from side to side.

No matter what her captor did to her she refused to give in and scream or whimper or make any sound of weakness or fear. As the glint of sadistic need in Jo Gage's eyes grew hungry at the sight of her still living hostage everything changed. The door to freedom with the electronic lock burst open. Her partner had finally come for her, finally found her. She was saved! The flare of hope and relief that had blazed bright and quick in her froze with shock, grief, and unendurable pain.

In quick succession, before her partner could even start to react with the gun he held in front of him to shoot the sadist who had taken his Eames from him, the murderer threw the butcher knife by the handle. It flew so fast through the air no one even saw it rotate blade up, one second it had been taunting its next victim and the next it had unexpectedly lodged into Robert Goren's chest, right through his heart. Before the blood even started seeping from his fatal wound he squeezed his gun's trigger, the bullet hit square between the abductor's eyes. Jo Gage was dead before she hit the floor.

Bobby dropped his arms and looked at his partner as his own blood gushed from his chest and soaked his shirt. "Alex," was all he could get out. He too collapsed to the concrete floor, dead.

"BOBBY!" Alexandra Eames screamed as her eyes flew open and her body jerked up to a sitting position in her bed with her arms stretched out reaching for her invisible partner. The hair around her face was stuck to her skin with cold sweat and her cotton pajamas were damp with it. She continued to take harsh and painfully ragged breaths that echoed noisily through her dim bedroom as her body shook with terror and her wide eyes tried to take in her surroundings. As her brain processed her sudden return to reality tears started to spill from her large, almond shaped frightened eyes.

She knew she was in her own bedroom, tangled in her sheets. Alex could feel her heart pounding against her ribcage, the knots in her stomach and the lump in her throat. Her terror slowly started to fade as she repeatedly told herself she was safe and Bobby was alive and well, over and over in her head. She knew Jo Gage was incapacitated, in a coma in a prison hospital ward; she and Bobby were safe and sound in their own beds. Except Alex didn't feel safe. She never did after waking from night terrors.

Eames let a sob escape from her as she lay back down on her side grabbing a pillow and hugging it to her chest in an attempt to find comfort while she cried. She clung to the pillow desperately and pulled her knees up to curve her body into the fetal position. Slowly gaining an equilibrium she let the sobs subside on their own before she reached for her cell phone on the nightstand.

Using speed dial she called the only person that could make her feel safe again. He answered in the middle of the third ring sounding wide awake. "Alex, you okay?" He didn't need to look at the caller ID display to know it was her and that it wasn't about work.

"Bobby." Her voice was small and still shook slightly with fear.

"I'll be right there."

*** * ***

Bobby hung up and got out of bed knowing his partner needed him. Knowing her nightmares had returned. He was rushing out of his front door less than five minutes after getting off the phone. Getting behind the wheel of his vintage car he realized her nightmares must have started again while he was gone. Her night terrors seemed to return with unpredictable frequency whenever Goren was out of town. Alex had hoped they would stop when Bobby returned. She hoped wrong.

As he approached her front door he pulled out his key as he always did when she called in the middle of the night when she needed him. He turned the key in the lock and opened the door.

*** * ***

Alex looked up from her seated position at her kitchen table, her right knee bent against her chest and foot on the seat of the chair her other leg bent with her foot under her. She had her arms wrapped around her right leg and her cheek resting on her right knee. A cup of chamomile tea cooled on the table in front of her. While waiting for her partner she had rinsed her face, brushed her hair and changed into fresh white, lavender and purple pinstripe cotton pajama pants and matching lavender cotton shelf camisole and put a clean set of sheets on her bed. She could only take a couple sips of her soothing tea before she gave up. Nothing would help her get back to sleep except for the comfort of feeling her partner's arms around her and being able to feel his heart beating in his chest.

She heard her front door open and close gently. Heard the deadbolt slide back into place. She turned her head and rested her other cheek on her knee so she could see him walk into her kitchen. She always felt better when she saw him. He got to her quickly and knelt down beside her chair so he could look into her large almond shaped hazel eyes. She gave him a slight smile as she looked back into Bobby's brown eyes, which shone with concern and understanding.

Bobby reached out with his left hand to gently tuck a strand of her blonde hair behind her ear. Alex closed her eyes and leaned into his touch. His touch was warm and soothing. It was comforting far beyond the simple reassurance of the solid feel and radiating heat of his large palm and the knowledge of not being alone. His long and nimble fingers curved into Alex's honey and caramel hair, feeling the silken softness of the strands slide across his fingertips while she turned her cheek and tilted her head so her flushed cheek was resting fully in Bobby's dominate hand. Alex sighed keeping her eyes closed, reveling in the warmth and comfort that spread through her as she let Bobby's mere presence and innocent touch envelope her senses.

Bobby lightly grazed his thumb across her right cheek, back and forth in a slow, comforting rhythm. He could see his partner starting to relax, her shoulders were slowly dropping with every slow, deep breath she inhaled and exhaled. It was obvious how tired Eames was, but still holding onto some trepidation about the returning horrors in her nocturnal state kept her from allowing herself to fall back into REM and non-REM cycles. "Alex, do you need anything? How're your shoulders?" Bobby inquired quietly.

Eames opened her eyes and blinked leisurely a few times before she responded. "I'm better. Just tired, and sore. My shoulders are bothering me a little tonight." Bobby nodded and gently slid his hand out of her hair, lightly skimming her cheek with his fingertips reassuringly before withdrawing his hand to rest on his knee matching his right.

"Everything's okay now, Eames. Just, wait here, I'll be right back." He retreated further into the kitchen behind the partition which separated the dining and cooking areas where she could no longer see him. She heard him open the fridge and close it a few seconds later. Next there was a quiet _thump_ of a cabinet door being opened, the rattle of bottles being searched, he found what he was looking for. Another gentle _thump_ of the cabinet door being closed and his footsteps sounded closer. She saw Bobby come around the corner with a bottle of water and something in his closed fist. He dropped down in front of his partner once more. He handed Alex the bottle of water, already opened, and uncurled the fingers of his other hand revealing two small tablets of ibuprofen for her to take for the ache in her shoulders.

Alex took a sip of the water, picked up the two pills from Bobby's open palm, popped them between her lips and swallowed them with a larger sip of water than the first. "You're tired. You need to sleep." Bobby said with concern. His chocolate brown eyes scanning Eames' face saw her hesitation.

She looked back up into his eyes, "I just don't want to go back there once I close my eyes," she admitted.

Bobby's right hand rubbed up and down her bare arm to rest on her shoulder reassuringly. "How bad was it tonight?" His expression was a combination of empathy, kindness, and a sort of bracing for grief or pain.

"Bad." Alex's eyes started to fill with unshed tears once more as the vivid visions in her dream flashed through her mind's eye and fear and anxiety welled to the surface of her emotions again.

Bobby's heart almost broke seeing the pain and fear caused by her nightmares so plainly on her face. "Oh, Alex, I'm so sorry you had to go through that. Do you want to tell me about it? I mean- you don't have to if you don't want to. I just. . . I'm here. Whatever you need." The sincerity of his words eased the emotions trying to take hold of her.

Eames blinked back her tears and nodded her head looking at Goren with her brows slightly furrowed and gave him a slight horizontal smile that was almost a small frown the way her bottom lip was pushed out and pouty. She swiveled her bottom in the chair to face Bobby, put both feet flat on the hard wood floor and brought her hands to rest palms down on his chest. "Stay?" She leaned forward and rested her forehead against her partner's, eyes closed, "please?"

"You never have to ask, Alex. Just tell me what you need." She felt his warm breath caress her skin as he responded in a near whisper. Eames got up from the chair at her table and grabbed one of Goren's much larger hands. He moved from his kneeling position and stood tall in front of Alex, giving her enough room to maneuver them around the now vacated wooden chair. She took a step backward toward the hallway that led to her bedroom. Still holding his hand, their fingers intertwined, she pivoted and began to walk toward the rest of her house leading the way to her room.

Alex didn't release the physical contact until they were standing in her bedroom and only long enough to close the door. Taking his hand once more she pulled Bobby to her bed with her and climbed under the covers tugging him behind her. Goren quickly kicked off his shoes and settled underneath the covers next to his partner in her king sized bed. He lay on his back while she released his hand again so she could roll onto her side pressing the front of her body to him. Alex shifted again and laid her breasts and shoulders on top of his chest while wrapping her arms around his torso in a loose hug. Tilting her head to the side she rested her head over his sternum to listen to his strong and steady heartbeat.

In turn Bobby completed the familiar embrace by wrapping his strong and muscular arms around Eames' much smaller frame. Resting his left hand on the small of her back the other against the bare skin of her shoulder, it always amazed Goren how natural it felt to hold Eames; how their bodies fit together so perfectly.

After listening to Bobby's very real heart beating in his chest for a full minute in comfortable silence, Eames spoke again. "The nightmares are always worse when they include you."

"How so?" He inquired tenderly.

"They usually end with Jo Gage killing you one way or another." Her voice shook a little.

He couldn't stop the small sharp inhale of surprise. He waited a moment or two to respond. "What happened this time?" His voice was still gentle, barely above a whisper.

A lone tear slid from the corner of her eye as she told him what had occurred in her nightmare. "I was tied up, hanging from that hook in the basement again. I heard her finish torturing the video store clerk and kill her. She played with the knife she'd been using while she approached me, helpless. Then you burst through the door and I know I'm saved. But she's faster than you and throws the knife before you can fire your gun," at this point Alex's voice broke, she took a shaky breath to impede the upsurge of emotion.

Bobby's fingers curled around her shoulder and gripped firmly to give her a comforting squeeze, encouraging her to continue. "The knife goes through your heart right before you shoot her between the eyes. And all I can see is the handle of the knife sticking out of your chest and your blood and all you can do is say my name and then- oh, Bobby! It scares me more than anything else, seeing you on the floor with that knife in your heart and your blood everywhere! I couldn't take even the thought of you dying!" And now she's crying, sniffling while she wipes her wet cheeks with her hand.

"Its okay, Alex, it was just a bad dream. I'm right here, with you." Goren crooned words of comfort while he ran his hand back and forth over her shoulder, trying to soothe her. Alex tightened her arms around Bobby as her sniffling and tears died down. Getting it out, saying it out loud, and feeling Bobby's strong heartbeat in his chest and the strength and safety of his embrace eased the fear and anxiety she'd been experiencing. Bobby continued to murmur words of comfort and kissed the top of her head.

Feeling as though her partner, best friend really, had banished the frightening images of her nightmare she began to relax into his warm embrace. Alex splayed her fingers and right palm over where his heart beat in his chest. It thumped in a slow, strong, steady rhythm under her hand. She snuggled closer to her partner, burying her cheek into his broad chest. She sighed, her eyes closed finally at peace again with Bobby holding her and gently trailing his fingers up and down her back in a hypnotizing pattern. Sleep began to overtake her once more. Alex always felt safe and protected, even from her own fears and nightmares with Bobby holding her.

"Bobby. . ." she mumbled sleepily.

"Hmm?" Goren too was drifting into the twilight between waking and sleep, his body lax and heavy lids shut.

"Thank you." Though drifting off Eames made sure she said it clearly, without mumbling.

Bobby's trailing fingers ceased at her comment. He was more aware now but kept his eyes closed. His voice was husky with the beginnings of sleep when he responded, "For what?"

"For coming over. Being here." She paused to gather her courage, to say what she meant, what she felt. "For being you." Goren didn't move, so Alex did. She lifted herself up to lean forward and look into her partner's warm and inquisitive chocolate brown eyes. Without breaking eye contact she brought her right hand up to cup his cheek while supporting her weight with her left hand on the mattress. Goren was frozen, mesmerized by his partner's surprising actions. He didn't know what she was going to do next but the feel of her soft skin on his left him tingling. She traced his full lower lip with the pad of her thumb. She moved her fingers into his curly salt and pepper locks. He didn't dare break their gaze or blink for fear of breaking the sudden spell that had come over Eames.

Though he and his partner had grown close outside of work, they rarely touched and only had a platonic friendship. Not that Goren (or Alex for that matter) didn't want more. The only times in which it was safe to touch one another freely, without hesitation were nights like these. When comfort was needed. When Alex's nightmares returned and she needed to feel safe, protected again. Bobby knew the trust they had built throughout their partnership and the caring with their friendship that Eames felt safe turning to him when she felt vulnerable. He knew that she needed to be comforted by feeling protected; emotionally and physically. Goren knew that sometimes comfort is more about showing how much you care for and want to protect that person with human connection, physical contact of warm embraces and protective hugs.

As many times as Goren had come over in the middle of the night to banish Eames' fear and anxiety and protect her from further night terrors by holding her close while she slept, being her nighttime guardian throughout the years, she had never touched him in a way that was completely non-plutonic. And because he respected her and cared for her too much to screw up their partnership Bobby had never made a move to turn their friendship into something more.

Though there was no denying it, the way she was looking at him, running her fingers through his hair was definitely not a strictly friendly touch. The skim of her thumb across his lip was a distinctly romantic gesture, when combined with the desire burning in her eyes the effect was quite pleasurable. Eames' unabashed stare while her fingers explored sent a delightful shiver down his spine ending in a pooling knot of warmth in his groin.

His hand was resting on her lower back, his fingers curling around the back of her hip as she moved closer. She finally broke eye contact to gaze at his lips, as though contemplating something. She lowered her lips within a whisper of his when she spoke softly, "Thank you, for being here for me, Bobby. Always." He couldn't resist, he raised his head and closed the gap between them, touching his lips to hers for the first time.

The kiss started out soft and innocent. Alex slid her hand from his hair to rest on his chest as she deepened the kiss. She leaned into the kiss and parted her lips slightly. She loved the feel of his full lips pressed against hers perfectly. She inhaled the light minty flavor.

Bobby felt the powerful pull of their joined lips and wanted to touch her tongue with his. He held back, knowing if he did and she responded more so than she was already it would be too difficult for him to maintain control as his hormones spiked. Nonetheless, he extended the moment, making the simple kiss last so he could continue to taste the honey sweetness of her lips.

Eames slowly pulled away, but only enough so their lips were no longer touching. Her eyes still closed she gently pressed her mouth to his again, only for a second. Her lids flutter open to look at her partner. He blinked lazily and searched her face, looking for clarification. Her eyelids heavy, she looked into his gaze with half-closed eyes and gave him a small, drowsy smile. She lowered herself back down turning her head to rest on his chest. She wrapped both arms around Goren in a loose embrace and closed her eyes to find sleep again.

"Good night, Bobby." Alex said in a near whisper.

Goren responded by tighten his hold around her and tracing soothing circles on back with his fingers. After several minutes in which both Bobby and Alex's breathing had slowed to a relaxing pace signaling sleep was close to taking over both of them he mumbled quietly, "Good night, Alex. Sweet dreams."

They both drifted off with the sandman moments later.


End file.
